Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-09
CITY AND DISTRICT.
A WELL SHADED CITY.
Report of the Parking Communication.

Report of the Parking Commission.
OVER $4,000 SHADE TRIES IN TEE STREETS OF WASH
N6roN-oRNANESTAL TRERs IN THE PARASITIC
CATERPILLAR PLAGUE, ETC.
The parking commission have submitted their
annual report to the District Commissioners.
ia reference TO the work performed by the
commission during the last fiscal year they
say tat LABS old, useless and, IN some cases,
dangerous. trees have been removed; 1857
Young trees OF various kinds planted on the
Streets 279 were set place OF dead and decayfng
trees; ~ trees were lowered to conform TO change
OF grades and on Corcoran street, between 18th
ana 18th streets, 80 were moved from the
center OF the pavement TO the curb lnei
1000 trees received coat Of lime wash; About
nursery, and time permitted these have been
assorted and 1900 seryiceable boxes have been
made and used on newly planted trees There Is
also enough OF this sound material on hand 10
make 5000 more good boxes. Tine large sycamore
trees ON lIth street from the river TO boundary
street and those on 9Th street from Pennsylvania
avenue 20 the river were closely pruned last VIII
Ter ana are looking well.
There are now ON the streets aud avenues 63,0
eret,s under the care Of the parking commission
LIME WASH FOR PROTECTION OF TREES
After rehearsing several important reasons why
the tree boxes should be removed (Which COL |
Ludlow has decided to do the report goes ON to
say that Il has long been matter OF observation
that horseS are not prone TO nibble ana olte the
i.4+hS - VIM - 80 o.,
IL vas therefore deemed advisable 10 take ad-
vantage OF this minor method OF protection, mop
ing That by washing the stems horses might De
gradually weaned from the tree-bitfng propensity.
At All events. IL saved the trees Tor the Time De
ing. This explanation, says the report, may alay
the fears Of those Tho appreheDded that the trees
were whitewashed for the purpose OF destroying
caterpillars after the caterpilars had disappeared
ton for the purpose Of removing scale insects from
the bark. several years ago great many trees In
this city were badly infested with these Insects,
but 10y removing all the smaller branches, and
covering the remainder with lime wash, the
Insects were destroyed and the trees recovered
their health. Objections have been made TO lime
washing trees on the ground that IL closed up the
breathing pores IN the bark, and would ultimately
pores in their bark, and as they have been 80
treated in many thousands OF cases without being
injured thereby, this objection need not b re-
peated
Ornamental TREES IN PARKS AND LAWNS
Referring to the ornamental trees In parks and
lawns, the commission say that they require but
little any pruning. But trees In streets are SUBJ
Jected to a great many hurtlul influences from
which park trees are exempt. OF necessity they
are early deprived Of their lower branches, |
which would otherwise interfere WIN r Inc
tends TO weaken their stems and sensibly de-
prlye them OF the power OF resisting storms Inc
liability injury from storms Is further increased
In young trees that are making dense and luxur- |
ant growths on tall and slender stems In these
Instances relief Is given by pruning or thinning
out portion OF the branches 50 that the winds |
may blow through the tops instead OF blowing !
;hem over. With some species this manipulation |
Is unavoidable If we wish TO preserve the trees |
from breaking or blowing down.
baL qy lar tne iarsest eARenaIuIe IN pruning
branches which Interfere with the use OF the |
streets and sidewalks: further reason for the |
removal OF the lowest branches Is their growing !
Interference with the dissemination OF light from
the street lamps; the interference OF the foliage |
in some streets with the light from lamps calls for
speedy relief
TREES AND AWNINGS
Applications for the removal or trees for the pur
pose OF erecting awnings are frequently received !
tbo 3o-fr ralr bIuf
IN order TO erect awnings would be obyiated II the
rule was adopted that the supporting rods Tor |
awnings be set on line about two feet inside the
curoStOneS. This would not interfere with travel,
being about the inside line OF the tree-bOxei All |
the lower branches could 10 removed to height |
sufficient TO give entire freedom TO the use OF the
awning, and at the same time preserve tbs UNI
fornlty and beauty OF the trees
The SUBJECT OF THE CATERPILLAR PLAGUE
occupies much space in the report 1t says: al
though no season passes without the presence Of |
caterpillarS on the trees, yet they have not been
so numerous in twenty years they were last
season. and they fully plentiful this year as
they were during the last. Efforts suppress them
have caused considerable outlay. and with only
partial success but experience has been gained
which VIII be valuable in future operations. When
the parking commission 1rst went into operation,
some sixteen years ago, II was very desirable 10
plant frees Of rapid growth Many OF the old shade
trees had recently been, and were being removed,
10 make way Tor Improvement, hence ii was a
matter of much Importance 10 replace them so |
that shade might again be furnished soon as |
practicable. Among the trees chosen for rapid |
growth was the ash-leaved maple. After some 1
years had elapsed IL was found that tins species
was particularly liable TO be attacked by cater
pillars. and IL was resolved 10 discontinue their
Iurther extension Previous to this however
over 1000 OF these trees had been In var1-
Gus streets, where they still remain.
The white poplar bad been for many years pre-
yi0us 10 1870 set out In numbers throughout the
city. This tree being among the first to fall
prey TO insects, and for other essential reasons,
was excluded from the list OF desirable trees so
that no plants OF this species have been in
this city during the past sixteen years, but wher-
ever possible they have been removed until but
The Negundo trees will probably also have to
b. replaced by more suit able tree as OppOrtuni-
ties offer for their removal The two trees just
mentioned seem TO be the first preference or the
web caterpillars, but all others are not by any
means free from their attacks. Next TO these, |
perhaps the linden suffers most; then the elmS
and the sycamore. The white ash suffers con-
siderably.
TREES MOST EXKMPT.
OF those most exempt may De mentioned the
Carolina poplar the sugar, the silver and the Nor
way naples These are the last 10 be attacked,
and seldom severely. The tulip tree is rarely |
tOuched the few honey lOcusts set in the streets
are rarely injured by insects OF any kind.
After various Efforts with other methods OF re-
Strcting caterpillar rayages, We st1u continue
th!t OF cutting out the branches containing the
webs. as We nnd it TO be the most economical and |
practical method one drawback toward more
Effectiveness In cleaning the trees has been
LACK FUNDs
towards the end Of the fiscal year 10 place addi-
uOnal force on this work at the proper time that
Il, on the first appearance of the Insects II NAV
BE- supposed that funds for this purpose might
De II aimed by reducing on otner items OF |
expenditure, buI factor OF uncertainty connects
Itself with this idea arising from the circumstan
That the extent OF necessities cannot DC rOretold
as the insects vary In numbers FROM year to year
This uncertainty might be met by speciAI-rund |
appropriation for the purpose, 70 be used as re-
CURED
FoR DESTRUCTION OF CATERPILLAR
referring 10 some OF the many remedies advised |
for the destruction OF caterpiars that OF burning
the webs has been so often recommended that In |
some cases citizens with the best inrenttons) |
have undertaken TO clear the trees in front OF |
their Residences by applying the torch 10 the |
webs 10 the great Injury aud disbursement |
OF the tree. This method was tried BY |
the Parking Commission many years ago |
and was speedily abandoned. IL was found TO 6e |
an AWKWARD aud tedious process at best: then the
Trees were badly injured by the Gre. Not only |
were the affected branches injured, but In the |
endeasoTo 10 penetrate 10 these many other /
tWiSS and leaves were deStrOyed sO /
that the labor involved In cutting the /
dead branches and scOrched twigs proved |
10 De greater and more costly than the present |
method OF pruning out the affected twixs at once:
aud Jhss without reference 10 the labor and time
required In the burning operation In the fir.t
place. As method OF destroying caterpiIIars In |
this city II IS lnpract1cabie and undesirable. and
all thiags consIdered should be denounced and |
prohibited